Sociologists tell us that "Autonomy is the acid test of professional status ... all other characteristics of a profession flow from it".1 Poor Dr Zen* has no professional autonomy. Mr Unger's management is determined, not by her, but by an electronic decision system which then reduces her pay for taking too long and directs her continuing education. How did Dr Zen get into this thankless situation? Let me answer that with some more of her story.
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- General Practice Education & Training, Canberra, ACT.
Correspondence:
- 1. Wolinsky FD. The professional dominance, deprofessionalisation, proletarianization, and corporatization perspectives: an overview and synthesis. In: Hafferty FW, McKinlay JB, editors. The changing medical profession: an international perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993: 22.
- 2. Joint Statement—Australian Medical Association (AMA); Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP); Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP); Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) — Government's Medicare Package. Canberra, 2003.
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